This week's top 5 cultural insights and e-commerce trends: 15 February 2019

Business · 3 min read

AOB: 15 February 2019

15 February 2019

What are the big stories in commerce? And what do they mean for your business? AOB helps you stay ahead of the curve – here are this week’s top five cultural insights and e-commerce trends from around the world.

How people REALLY use the internet

Hootsuite have teamed up with We Are Social to produce the Digital in 2019 report with “essential insights into how people around the world use the internet, mobile devices, social media and e-commerce.” It’s a must-read for any online business that wants to understand how to best reach out to consumers across the globe and is broken down into region specific facts and figures. For example, 8% of adults in China own a wearable tech device; Italians spend on average 1h 57m on social media per day; and in the Seychelles there are 67,000 mobile internet users.

For more information on trading around the globe, check out our country guides.

Attitudes to Valentine’s Day are changing

From traditional red candies and teddy bears to heart-shaped meat products in the supermarket, this time of year sees savvy businesses jump aboard the love train to attract loved-up consumers. But attitudes to Valentine’s Day are changing and in Britain, 52% of Gen Yers don’t care about it, while in Japan women are pushing back against the ‘forced’ tradition of giving chocolates to their male co-workers on this day.

However, there’s a rise in singles claiming back the day for themselves, using February 14th to celebrate friendships, family and self-care. And spending certainly isn’t slowing – with Britons spending £1.6bn on Valentine’s gifts and cards each year. So, if your business is ramping up to spread the love this February, don’t focus all your attention on couples. You could be missing out on a huge share of the market.

Beauty to your door in just two hours with Avon

Thanks to a rising middle class and a growing network of couriers who can easily navigate the busy cities, demand for instant services is growing quickly in Latin America. That’s why Avon is trialing a partnership with Brazilian delivery company Rappi to offer a two-hour delivery option. So, whether you’re asked on a last-minute date or you manage to bag tickets to the opera at the eleventh hour, Avon will be able to get your makeup to you right on time to dazzle at your event. If the trial is successful, this will set the bar higher for other brands to offer similar shipping options.

The beginning of the end for Facebook’s social media monopoly?

Facebook has built its business by capturing data and turning it into advertising revenue. However, since Facebook bought out Instagram and Whatsapp, German regulators have accused the company of abusing their position by combining the data from its three apps and other third-party sites. The German antitrust office argues that with 95% of the social media market share in the country, Facebook has too much of a monopoly in the area, making competition a problem.

If your brand advertises through Facebook or any of its other platforms, be sure to keep an eye on this story for any changes that might affect your business.

Sugar’s still on a high

Amid a sea of growing health trends and demands for stricter sugar regulation to tackle the worldwide obesity epidemic, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the candy industry is taking a hit. However, research from Euromonitor International shows that the global confectionery market was worth US$193.5bn last year. So, what are brands doing to combat the anti-sugar sentiment? For many – such as Dutch chocolate company Hegelswag and Finnish Goodio – the way to go is luxury, with consumers willing to pay more for high-quality products that have premium ingredients. This trend is something that Ivan Koric, a senior food and drink analyst at Euromonitor International refers to as “mindful indulgence” – people still want to treat themselves but in a more health-conscious way.

So, if your brand is focused on sweet treats, keep in mind that less quantity and more quality will be the way forward in 2019.